Industrial: Wilson Flashcards
What was Wilson committed to ?
What did this lead to
- the idea that inflation and BOPD threat to economic progress and as such wages and salary increase needed to be regulated
- NATIONAL PLAN sep 1965
- 5.25 export increase annually and 3.8% growth rate annually over the next six years
- NBPI wage increase only if productivity increase: irritated unions
How did unions react to the national plan ?
Saw it as a harsh attempt to undermine the special relationship
Moreover the NBPI had no power to enforce its wage restraints and it’s only success was in worsening industrial relations
- less cooperative
What was Wilson’s largest clash ?
1969 white paper IPOS
- Barbara castle presented it to cabinet
- unions have to ballot before strike and majority for it to be recognised as legal and official
- hoped to counteract the many unofficial strikes which increased labour cost, worsened inflation and export power
- employers had to keep to agreements and consult unions before major decisions: seen as poor attempt to make palatable
What did in place of strife lead to ?
Could be argued affect was limited as unions shrink in size National Unions of Mineworkers 586 to 279k by 1970
However
1969, there were 6,846,000 days lost so strike highest since 1957
- effects on economy: inflation as a result of increased labour cost+ export weakened
50 Labour MPs rebelled ‘introduced a taint of criminality into industrial relations’
Convinced many unions held too much power and stopped economic Progress
